Baker picks former Baltimore mayoral candidate Elizabeth Embry as running mate in governor’s race

Former Baltimore mayoral candidate Elizabeth Embry has joined the gubernatorial ticket of Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D). (Marvin Joseph)

Maryland gubernatorial candidate Rushern L. Baker III (D) on Tuesday plans to name Elizabeth M. Embry, a high-ranking attorney in the state Attorney General’s Office, as his choice for lieutenant governor.

Embry currently serves as chief of the criminal division of the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, which is headed by Brian E. Frosh, who has endorsed Baker’s campaign. Before joining the attorney general’s office, Embry served as deputy for policy and planning in Baltimore City State’s Attorney office. She has also been assistant solicitor in the Baltimore City Office of Law and a felony prosecutor in the Baltimore City State’s Attorney office.

Embry, 40, described herself as a “daughter of Baltimore” during her unsuccessful 2016 bid for mayor of the city. Her father, Robert C. Embry Jr., was a city councilman, school board president and housing commissioner. He now runs the Abell Foundation.

Embry captured 12 percent of the vote in the crowded Democratic primary and placed a distant third in the race, trailing now-Mayor Catherine Pugh, who received 37 percent, and former mayor Sheila Dixon, who won 34 percent.

According to a recent poll, taken Dec. 27 and Jan. 5 by Gonzales Research & Media Services, Baker , 59, holds a substantial lead over other Democrats vying for the nomination. Twenty-four percent of likely voters say they would vote for Baker, who is finishing his second term as Prince George’s County executive. That is a 10-point lead over Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and former NAACP president Ben Jealous. But the race remains wide open, according to the poll, which found that 33 percent of likely voters are undecided about the race.

Embry is the fifth lieutenant governor candidate named so far in the crowded Democratic primary. Candidates must select their running mates before the Feb. 27 filing deadline.

On Monday, State Sen. Richard S. Madaleno announced that Luwanda Jenkins, a business executive and former O’Malley appointee, was joining his ticket; and tech entrepreneur Alec Ross named Julie Verratti, a co-owner of a Montgomery County brewery, as his running mate. Attorney Jim Shea selected Baltimore City Council member Brandon Scott last week, and Jealous has picked Susan Turnbull, the former chairwoman of the Maryland Democratic Party.

Neither Kamenetz nor former Michelle Obama aide Krishanti Vignarajah have announced their selections.

The winners of the June 26 primary will face Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford (R).